Hitting Is Natural Play

[redknightalex]

As an aside, and almost off-topic, but did anyone else think of Serenity and the planet "Miranda" when hearing the benefits of aggression? Yes, it's a core emotion for a reason.

OT (while I'm still awake): I'm comforted by the fact that, by law and court, video games are protected under the most sacred right the US has: the First Amendment and the freedom of press, religion, and, most importantly, speech. Rules and regulations may well come upon us, while debatable as to whether or not they should be, but they can't take them away from us. Plus, porn gets a rather free pass and so many more studies have shown what porn can do to men's views on women.

Frankly, I'll be glad when this is all over and I can play my games in peace without the social stigma.

 

[gamernerdtg2]

As an aside, and almost off-topic, but did anyone else think of Serenity and the planet "Miranda" when hearing the benefits of aggression? Yes, it's a core emotion for a reason.

OT (while I'm still awake): I'm comforted by the fact that, by law and court, video games are protected under the most sacred right the US has: the First Amendment and the freedom of press, religion, and, most importantly, speech. Rules and regulations may well come upon us, while debatable as to whether or not they should be, but they can't take them away from us. Plus, porn gets a rather free pass and so many more studies have shown what porn can do to men's views on women.

Frankly, I'll be glad when this is all over and I can play my games in peace without the social stigma.

Wow, you actually care about the social stigma? I didn't know that there was one...

 

[redknightalex]

As an aside, and almost off-topic, but did anyone else think of Serenity and the planet "Miranda" when hearing the benefits of aggression? Yes, it's a core emotion for a reason.

OT (while I'm still awake): I'm comforted by the fact that, by law and court, video games are protected under the most sacred right the US has: the First Amendment and the freedom of press, religion, and, most importantly, speech. Rules and regulations may well come upon us, while debatable as to whether or not they should be, but they can't take them away from us. Plus, porn gets a rather free pass and so many more studies have shown what porn can do to men's views on women.

Frankly, I'll be glad when this is all over and I can play my games in peace without the social stigma.

Wow, you actually care about the social stigma? I didn't know that there was one...

Yes, I care and yes, I do still believe there is one.

There are much more important, and damaging, stigmas than being a gamer (mental health comes to mind) but you can't deny that, to an average person, saying someone's a "gamer" would probably bring to mind an unpleasant idea of a young man who is not only fat but lonely, depressed, socially awkward, and a myriad of other things. From my side of things, of the people who know me, and also know that I play games, look down a bit upon my hobby. It isn't something I like to shout out about.

Of course, everyone has different opinions, yet it's hard to deny that there was one. Whether or not it's still there (I find it hard to say no when people are blaming video games for violent atrocities) is debatable.

 

[gamernerdtg2]

Plus, porn gets a rather free pass and so many more studies have shown what porn can do to men's views on women.

Frankly, I'll be glad when this is all over and I can play my games in peace without the social stigma.

Wow, you actually care about the social stigma? I didn't know that there was one...

Yes, I care and yes, I do still believe there is one.

There are much more important, and damaging, stigmas than being a gamer (mental health comes to mind) but you can't deny that, to an average person, saying someone's a "gamer" would probably bring to mind an unpleasant idea of a young man who is not only fat but lonely, depressed, socially awkward, and a myriad of other things. From my side of things, of the people who know me, and also know that I play games, look down a bit upon my hobby. It isn't something I like to shout out about.

Of course, everyone has different opinions, yet it's hard to deny that there was one. Whether or not it's still there (I find it hard to say no when people are blaming video games for violent atrocities) is debatable.

Well, you are quite well written and informed so it took me by surprize. Why would you care what someone else thinks after they find out you're a gamer? In some cases there's reason to be concerned about social stigmas and stereotypes, but I'm not sure about gaming. I mean...nowadays gaming is everywhere. It becomes a problem when people say "gamers" are this way or that way in these days because it's no longer an underground thing. I'm not sure it was ever an underground thing, now that I think about it...
I hear you about the porn thing also - there's an outrageous double standard.

 

[redknightalex]

Plus, porn gets a rather free pass and so many more studies have shown what porn can do to men's views on women.

Frankly, I'll be glad when this is all over and I can play my games in peace without the social stigma.

Wow, you actually care about the social stigma? I didn't know that there was one...

Yes, I care and yes, I do still believe there is one.

There are much more important, and damaging, stigmas than being a gamer (mental health comes to mind) but you can't deny that, to an average person, saying someone's a "gamer" would probably bring to mind an unpleasant idea of a young man who is not only fat but lonely, depressed, socially awkward, and a myriad of other things. From my side of things, of the people who know me, and also know that I play games, look down a bit upon my hobby. It isn't something I like to shout out about.

Of course, everyone has different opinions, yet it's hard to deny that there was one. Whether or not it's still there (I find it hard to say no when people are blaming video games for violent atrocities) is debatable.

Well, you are quite well written and informed so it took me by surprize. Why would you care what someone else thinks after they find out you're a gamer? In some cases there's reason to be concerned about social stigmas and stereotypes, but I'm not sure about gaming. I mean...nowadays gaming is everywhere. It becomes a problem when people say "gamers" are this way or that way in these days because it's no longer an underground thing. I'm not sure it was ever an underground thing, now that I think about it...
I hear you about the porn thing also - there's an outrageous double standard.

Thank you. I try my best to try and dictate a point well because that's all we have on the Internet: our words. Thank you as well for a nice reply.

I guess I care more about what people think of me than perhaps the average person. I remember when I was a bit younger, maybe ten or so years ago, when walking into my local game store meant that I was the only female in there. No mothers, no wives, nor aunts would go in to buy a video game for a family member. Or at least that I saw and I'd go whenever I could. It made me very self-conscious of what I was buying, like God of War II, and if anyone there would take me seriously. Back then, I was never asked if I needed help, asked for pre-orders, or even discussed games with, only ignored. Maybe there's a different idea of women who game, which is a much lower number then men who game, that gives me more hesitation than perhaps the average gamer.

So, I do feel like, not too long ago, gaming still was the "kingdom of the nerds," but games like Call of Duty and systems like the Wii, or even the iPhone, definitely brought it to the forefront of everyone's attention. I think that's when gamers stopped becoming the "odd one" and more of the regular person on the street. Plus, knowing I'm a woman who games like the rest of the boys does seem to change their attitude towards me, particularly among gamers. One of the first questions I'm normally asked while gaming is if I'm a girl. Not sure why it matters but apparently it's important.

I also run into the more "serious" stigmas that people do receive. For instance, I use gaming as my main form of coping with a mental disorder. Those are things I wouldn't necessarily tell my boss even if it doesn't impact my work to any significant degree.

I'm more than willing to admit that it's my perception of life around me that leads me to believe there's a stigma for gaming (ie anything but casual gaming) but it is also my prerogative to care what others think of me. Pretty backwards, I know, but old habits die hard.